Conference Agenda
Welcome to the Intersections Dance Conference. This two-day gathering brings together artists, scholars, and community members to explore the evolving landscape of Indian classical dance. From performances and panels to workshops and networking, our schedule is designed to spark dialogue, share diverse perspectives, and celebrate the richness of diasporic expression. We invite you to browse the full agenda and join us for an inspiring weekend of movement, conversation, and connection.
Day 1:
session 1
Dance in the Boston Ethos
Saturday, September 27
8:30 AM
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prof. hari arthanari
President,
MITHAS
Panel Moderator
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jeyanthi ghataraju
Artistic Director,
Natyanjali
Panelist
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priya bangal
Founder,
Rasik
Panelist
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soumya rajaram
Artistic Director,
Samskriti
Panelist
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neena gulati
Founder/Director,
Triveni School of Arts
Panelist
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sapna govindan
Founder,
Rasik
Panelist
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smitha radhakrishnan
Artistic Director,
Natya Dance Collective
Panelist
session 1
dance in the boston ethos
Saturday, September 27
Thomas Tull Concert Hall, MIT
Explore the vibrant history and evolution of Indian Classical Dance in the Boston area. This session will spotlight distinctive local organizations and programs that have shaped and enriched the region’s cultural landscape.
Day 1:
session 2
New Worlds, New Experiences
Saturday, September 27
9:00 AM
session 2
new worlds, new experiences
Saturday, September 27
Thomas Tull Concert Hall, MIT
Stories of immigration, travel, and navigating new worlds through dance.
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Sonali Skandan
Artistic Director,
Jiva Performing Arts
Presentation & Discussion of New Works
"Lessons from My Mothers"
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neelambari prasad
Dancer/Choreographer
Research Talk
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hema rajagopalan
Artistic Director,
Natya Dance Theatre
Panelist
"Abhinaya in Translation: Expression Across Contexts"
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mesma belsaré
Dancer/Choreographer
Presentation & Discussion of New Works
"The Alchemy of Displacement: How Diaspora Bodies Carry and Transform Tradition"
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dr. anita vallabh
Writer, Dancer, Dance Critic
Panel Moderator
"Abhinaya in Translation: Expression Across Contexts"
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parul shah
Artistic Director,
Parul Shah Dance Company
Panelist
"Abhinaya in Translation: Expression Across Contexts"
Day 1:
session 3
Dancing the Archive, Feeling the Future
Saturday, September 27
10:40 AM
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shambhavi dandekar
Artistic Director-Founder,
Shambhavi's International School of Kathak
Presentation & Discussion
of New Works
"The Light Within... Hori With a New Direction"
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sujatha srinivasan
Artistic Director,
Shri Kalaa Mandir
Presentation & Discussion
of New Works
"MANAS: The Charioteer Within"
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shivani joshi
Choreographer
Research Talk
"Khayal in Motion: Exploring Khayal Bandishes as Narrative Vehicles in Present-Day Kathak"
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deepta seshadri
Dancer
Presentation & Discussion
of New Works
"Between Then and Now"
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shefali jain
Lecturer -Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, Tufts University
Research Talk
"The Courtesan: A Forgotten Lineage"
session 3
dancing the archive, feeling the future
Saturday, September 27
Thomas Tull Concert Hall, MIT
Reimagining traditional repertoire in modern contexts.
Day 1:
poster session
Saturday, September 27
12:00 PM
posters
Thomas Tull Concert Hall, MIT
Day 1:
session 4
Embodied Inquiry
Saturday, September 27
1:00 PM
session 4
embodied Inquiry
Saturday, September 27
Thomas Tull Concert Hall, MIT
An exploration of movement through deep questioning ranging from injury prevention, to the haptic experience of dance.
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chinmaya vedantam
MA Counseling Psychology
Research Talk
"Churning the Divine: Oral Epistemologies and the Sciences of Kalapam in Kuchipudi Tradition"
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dr. ranjini nair
Dancer
Research Talk
"Stillness as strategy: Policing the Hips and the Politics of Angashuddhi in Indian Classical Dance"
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dr. krithika swaminathan
Postdoctoral Scholar in Bioengineering, Stanford University
Research Talk
"Quantitative Dance Biomechanics to a Multi-Dimensional Sensory Experience"
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dr. kaustavi sarkar
Associate Professor
of dance,
UNC Charlotte
Research Talk
"Pedagogy of Focus: Diaspora in Motion"
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keerthana venkatesh
BS Biomedical Engineering Cd.
Research Talk
"Embodied Geometry in Bharatanatyam: A Framework for 3D Human Motion Analysis"
Day 1:
session 5
Sustaining the Spark
Saturday, September 27
2:00 PM
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kiran james
Dancer, Choreographer
Panel Moderator
"State of the Artist / Pathways to Professionalism"
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tanveer alam
dancer, choreographer
Panelist
"State of the Artist / Pathways to Professionalism"
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dr. shekhar viswanathan
Board Member,
Indian Fine Arts Academy, San Diego
Panelist
"The Curators' Compass: Navigating Art, Experience, and Impact"
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varsha vasu
Founder & Director - VAH (Virtual Arts for Humanity)
Panelist
"The Curators' Compass: Navigating Art, Experience, and Impact"
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sonali skandan
Artistic Director,
Jiva Performing Arts
Panelist
"State of the Artist / Pathways to Professionalism"
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prof. hari arthanari
President, MITHAS
Panel Moderator
"The Curators' Compass: Navigating Art, Experience, and Impact"
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dr. erik holmgren
Mass Cultural Council
Panelist
"The Curators' Compass: Navigating Art, Experience, and Impact"
session 5
sustaining the spark
Saturday, September 27
Thomas Tull Concert Hall, MIT
How do we sustain a career in the arts?
Day 1:
Working groups
Emerging Challenges in the Indian Classical Dance Landscape
Saturday, September 27
3:05 PM
Day 2:
Workshops
Sunday, September 28
9:00 AM
session 1
into the body: movement, memory, and mechanics
Sunday, September 28
Harvard Dance Center
This track focuses on movement-based practice and embodied knowledge, with sessions that help deepen technique and bodily awareness.
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dr. pranamya suri
Creative Director, Natyanjali Kuchipudi Dance School
Dance Anatomy and Injuries
60 mins
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anugraha sridhar
Dancer
Karanas: Nāṭyaśāstra Pedagogy for Training the Dancing Body
60 mins
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dr. shriya srinivasan
Professor, Bioengineering
Biomechanics of Dance
15 mins
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dr. lavanya rajagopalan
Executive Artistic Director,
Silambam Houston
Grant-writing for the Arts
30 mins
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manasa jayanthi
Artistic Director, Nrityanjali School of Dance | Founder, Manasa Arts LLC
Art and Agency: Financial Wellness for South Asian Dance Artist
20 mins
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navya maitri konda
Dancer
Speaking Dance: Articulating Your Artistic Story
20 mins
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vaibu mohan
Associate Artistic Director,
Silambam Phoenix
Bridging Traditions: Expanding Bharatanatyam’s Reach through Artistic Collaboration
20 mins
session 2
art & enterprise: practical tools for creative careers
Sunday, September 28
Harvard Dance Center
This track offers practical, skill-building sessions for dancers and arts professionals seeking to grow their work and make it more sustainable.